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Malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia in a well-defined cohort of 144 patients

Journal

Oral diseases

Volume | Issue number

20 | 3

Pages (from-to)

e19-e24

Document type

Article

Faculty

Faculty of Dentistry (ACTA)

Abstract

ObjectivesOral leukoplakia is a potentially malignant disorder of the oral mucosa. The aim of this retrospective study
was to identify the factors that possibly predict malignant transformation in a well-defined cohort of patients with a long-term
follow-up. All leukoplakias were staged according to a clinicopathological classification and staging system. Furthermore,
a certainty factor has been used with which the diagnosis has been established.

Material and methodsThe group
consisted of 144 patients. The size, presence and degree of epithelial dysplasia were incorporated into a clinicopathological
classification and staging system. Initial management consisted of surgical excision, CO2 laser vaporisation or observation
only. The mean follow-up period was 51.2 months (s.d. = 39.33, range 12-179 months).

ResultsIn 16 of 144 patients
(11%), malignant transformation occurred between 20 and 94 months (mean 57.0 months) after the first visit, the annual malignant
transformation rate being approximately 2.6%. A large size of the lesion (≥ 4 cm) showed to be the only statistically significant
predictor of malignant transformation (P = 0.034).

ConclusionA size of ≥ 4 cm showed to be the only significant
predicting factor of malignant transformation in oral leukoplakia. No other epidemiological, aetiological, clinical or histopathological
parameters were of statistical significance.

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